Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gladstone Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gladstone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,653 in Gladstone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,588 in Gladstone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,524 in Gladstone.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 10% more expensive than in Gladstone, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Gladstone 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.58 A$24.51

4.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$83.9 A$117

3.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$12.43 A$17.32

0.24%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.37 A$6.09

-4.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 A$4.40

$3.26 A$4.54

-3.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.90 A$4.04

-8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$7.74 A$10.80

29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$9.58 A$13.35

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.65 A$2.31

-2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.68 A$3.74

22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.35 A$3.28

28.51%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.12 A$7.14

17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.63 A$13.43

14.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.60 A$13.39

3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$15.38 A$21.45

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.61 A$5.03

22.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.19 A$4.44

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.48 A$4.85

-0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.68 A$6.53

4.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.65 A$3.69

18.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.41 A$3.36

10.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.50 A$3.49

0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$40.00 A$55.8

15.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.51 A$20.22

-13.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.17 A$7.21

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.50 A$7.67

-3.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.05 A$4.26

32.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$87.4 A$122

62.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.63 A$5.07

29.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.67 A$2.33

-15.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$41.67 A$58.1

-24.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.25 A$1.74

14.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.5K A$41.1K

$27.8K A$38.8K

5.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K A$37.6K

$30.4K A$42.4K

-11.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$239 A$334

$214 A$298

11.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.19 A$39.30

$28.96 A$40.38

-2.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$55.0 A$76.7

4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$56.8 A$79.1

-1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.61 A$25.94

22.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$14.22 A$19.83

25.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,203 A$3,072

11.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$20.7K A$28.8K

52.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$78.7 A$110

4.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$55.3 A$77.0

-5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$111 A$155

7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$125 A$174

9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,490 A$2,077

19.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,311 A$1,828

11.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$1,390 A$1,938

156.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,524 A$2,125

68.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,699 A$9,340

8.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,243 A$7,310

31.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$5,751 A$8,018

-22.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.25

11.24%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Gladstone: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,490 in Gladstone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gladstone pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $84.0 in Gladstone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $380 per month, with Gladstone cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Melbourne vs Gladstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gladstone wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gladstone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Gladstone. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,490 in Gladstone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,910 per month in Melbourne versus $2,653 in Gladstone – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gladstone runs roughly 62% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Gladstone is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Melbourne and Gladstone are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gladstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.